Emergency Preparedness

Emergencies can happen any place and any time. Emergency management involves preparing for, responding to, and recovering from incidents or emergencies that affect the public. These can range from infectious diseases and extreme weather events, to environmental hazards impacting the health of our population.

Emergency management strengthens the overall resilience of our communities and the broader health system through:

preparedness;

planning;

mitigation;

response; and

recovery activities.

The health unit is one of many community stakeholders taking action to ensure that our communities are prepared for emergencies.

We:

Identify and assess potential hazards and their impact on health and the environment.

Lead and support collaborative response to emergencies.

Engage with all levels of government, emergency partners and the community on emergency planning and preparedness activities.

Participate as part of local specialized response teams to help reduce the impact of incidents/emergencies on individuals and communities.

Raise awareness and educate individuals about the potential risks and how they can prepare for emergencies.

Provide reliable and timely public health information to individuals, families and communities during an emergency.

What Matters to Your Health

The response to an emergency in its first few minutes is critical. The role of the first responders is to control the immediate impact of the emergency. Meanwhile, it’s your role to be prepared for the first 72 hours of an emergency situation.

Before an emergency

Become familiar with the risks in your area, like floods or storms. An understanding of what can happen will allow you to be better prepared. Make a plan for the expected or unexpected and prepare an emergency kit with food, water and other supplies to last up to 72 hours. Keep key telephone numbers handy, listen to weather warnings and evacuate when advised by emergency responders.

After an emergency

Recovering from an emergency takes time. It is important to take care of yourself, your family and your property. Accessing resources and support after an emergency will help you to cope with the after effects.